subject: Simple Guide On How To Deal With Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms [print this page] Nicotine is a substance that is among the most addictive in the world. While the withdrawal symptoms may not be as physical painful as some other drugs, they can still be extremely tough to deal with.
Nicotine is found in all tobacco products, as well as thousands of of other chemicals and toxins contained in cigarettes. The good news is that the withdrawal symptoms are temporary and peak after two days.
Your body begins a healing process within thirty minutes of quitting smoking. If you can just stick with it, your risks of heart attack and other conditions associated with smoking are significantly reduced and can add years to your life.
Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal include:
Tension, cravings, headaches, lack of concentration, irritability, appetite increase, depression and weight gain.
These symptoms will be less intense where you are gradually lowering the amount you smoke rather than going cold turkey, but the longer you smoke the more damage you do.
Smoking cigarettes with lower tar or nicotine will only reduce the toxins if you don't end up smoking more of these cigarettes each day.
How to cope:
There are ways for coping with nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine replacement therapy, such as gum or patch can be useful. Other methods include medications such as clonidine, antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac), and buspirone (Buspar).
The use of these agents may increase the likelihood of successfully quitting cigarettes. These medications do not cause an added addiction to them, and are helpful in dealing with the cravings for nicotine.
Research has shown that giving up is more common when you make more than one effort. If your first attempt fails, pick your chin up and try again...and again...and again until you stop smoking.
The withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting are only temporary, and overcoming these is usually the hardest part of the process.
Complications:
Weight gain is a common problem associated with people who are trying to quit. You should anticipate the cravings and make sure the foods you eat are healthy and nutritious.
You can combat this factor by increasing your physical activity and burning more calories. Additionally, find healthy snacks to satisfy the cravings for food, such as fresh fruit or vegetable sticks like celery.
Consulting with a heath professional is a good idea - they can give you advice on how to maximize your chance at success. As you stay off the smokes, your lung function will improve as will your endurance.
This will let you exercise for longer, burn more calories and prevent any weight gain and the associated problems.
